Has Lego become more violent?

According to a study by New Zealand’s HIT Lab at the University of Canterbury the proportion of weapons to traditional bricks in sets and the number of sets with weapons, has been steadily on the rise since the 1980s.

It was noted that definition of ‘weapon’ was problematic (i.e. is the Death Star worthy of such a classification?), and that the turning point for Lego seemed to occur in 1995 with the introduction of themes (such as pirates, with the obvious inclusion of pirate-y weapons).

In response, Lego says “We always try and use humor where possible as it helps tone down the level of conflict.” (which is seemingly supported by the study, where approximately 63% of participants perceived the violence as ‘playful’), noting that “Conflict play is a natural part of how children play, and it helps them learn how to deal with conflicts in their own lives…”

Christopher Bartneck (an ex Lego employee) was the lead author of the study, which is available on the journal PLOS ONE.